Something Wicked
by onethousandmoths
Summary: Ava Duvall is realizing that there is more to fear than creatures that go bump in the night, like falling in love one of the members of the Scooby Gang and learning to make the perfect cappuccino. Takes place after Season 3, so don't read if you haven't seen! I do not own Teen Wolf, but I wish I did. Stiles/OC. Rated M to be on the safe side.
1. Chapter 1 (Intro)

Ava nervously rubbed the amethyst eye in the middle of her hamsa necklace. She could barely make out a welcome sign through the rain, but she didn't need the sign to tell her she had arrived at her destination. Ava was instantly overcome with a wave of euphoria-a rush of power so intense-she needed to immediately pull over. For a few moments, the sound of her heart pounding was enough to drone out the down pour of rain pummeling the plastic on her white Jeep Wrangler.

No wonder Beacon Hills had been a supernatural playground for the past few years. Ava couldn't wrap her mind around how such a small town could emit so much power. You could feel the pull for miles. Even Ava, sweet, innocent Ava was almost enticed by the power rush. She couldn't imagine what this kind of energy could do in the wrong hands. Actually, scratch that, she did know what people did with this kind of magic. Since the visions started, Ava had done a lot of digging into the history of Beacon Hills. Rumors of Kitsune's, demons, druids and werewolves, had been floating around the supernatural community for some time now and Ava wasn't going to deny her gut wrenching fear.

And it wasn't fear of the supernatural that made her almost turn around, but the fear of hunters (although, demons didn't make her feel particularly jubilant). Because where there are Kitsune, demons, druids, and werewolves, there are bound to be hunters. Lots of hunters, who have no remorse for Ava or her kind. She'd seen her own family be slaughtered by those who claimed to protect humans. They don't stop to ask questions, they don't care what kind of magic you practice, or if you have a family who loves you-they just kill. Perfect, well executed kills, that you'll have no time to prepare for. And although Ava was stronger now, she still feared these humans the most.

Ava pushed aside her anxiety and took a deep breath. She couldn't believe that she was finally here. After a year of being haunted by visions of an unknown boy and a town with an unsettling future, she finally packed up her things and left for Beacon Hills, California. It was one of the hardest decisions she's made so far, in her twenty years of existence. Ava's destiny is to use her visions and powers to help protect others, but never have her visions been so dark. Despite the feeling of dread, she couldn't fight the pull in her heart. A witch like Ava simply couldn't ignore her visions-the more she resisted, the more obsessed she became. The visions started off only happening every couple weeks, but now they were happening every single day. Ava couldn't live with the idea of knowing she could have saved people, but she chose not to.

She needed to find the boy and she needed to find him fast. She knew his face and some of the basics, but her visions were vague. They all had one thing in common, however. A boy named "Stiles" was going to die and the town that he lived in was going to once again be over run by insidious entities, unless Ava stopped hiding in the shadows and joined the fight. You couldn't fight evil staying at home and watching Netflix.

"Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right", she whispered, and then proceeded to laugh hysterically. Albus Dumbledore probably wasn't the best moral compass right now, but it's all she had. When all else fails, turn to Harry Potter for the answers in life.

"Hello, Beacon Hills...I'm Ava...I'll be bringing awkward conversation and witchy goodness to your already dysfunctional town. Nice meeting you". Ava started up the car once more and headed into what could possibly be hell. Awkward, teenage, hell.


	2. Chapter 2

_Just a note, I've decided to change Ava's age to nineteen. It just works out easier for the story. Not anything major. :]_

"Ethan, they don't even have one vegetarian restaurant in Beacon Hills, let alone a health food store", Ava complained, while cradling her cell phone between her ear and shoulder. Her hands were covered in dirt, as she tried in vain to repot dead flowers. The previous owner of the apartment just left these poor little violets to die, no water, no note-it was a sad waste of life. No amount of energy would bring these bad boys back, so Ava had to do it the old fashioned way. Sans magical fingers.

_"Like, not even a Trader Joe's? How are you going to find your precious kale chips and maca powder?"_ Ethan mocked. _"The audacity"_.

"I would hit you, if I was near you. Seriously, it's a very vanilla place to live. The attendant looked as if I had three heads, when I asked if they had organic bananas". Ava openly admitted that she was one of those overly annoying health nuts and Ethan loved to mock her for it. She couldn't help it! She lived a simple life, didn't need many material things, but she loved all things vegetarian, raw, and nutritious. Ava blamed it on her connection to nature, but Ethan just called her a hipster.

_ "Oh god, no organic bananas? Where are you right now? Are you living in the middle of nowhere? It sounds like the Hills Have Eyes. I'd purchase a shot gun, ASAP._"

Ethan is Ava's best friend. Her sweet and sickeningly charming, New Orleans born, voodoo knight in shining armor. Ava isn't exactly a social recluse, but she's never had many friends. She could talk to anyone about anything, was incredibly polite, but could only tolerate people for so long. Her sense of humor didn't always work well with others. She rarely formed attachments to people, but Ethan was one of those (un)lucky few. Their families had always been close friends and thus, Ava and Ethan had been inseparable since they were born. When Ava's family was slaughtered, the Bright's took her in like a second daughter. Although their magic was different from hers, they did their best to help Ava harness her abilities. Once she started having visions of Beacon Hills, everyone pitched in to help her decipher them. Ethan was even ready to hit the road with Ava, but Grandma Bright warned him that it was Ava's "_desten_". She alone had to see what destiny had in store for her. Ava missed them terribly, especially Ethan. He was like her second half-her annoying, carnivorous, second half.

Ethan and his family practiced voodoo magic, not anything close to what Ava practiced, but magic nonetheless. Those who are born with magical abilities will always have certain kinds of talents. Various types of magic existed all around the world, from voodoo to druid magic. The Bright's taught Ava how to protect herself and if need be, they showed her how to access some powerful, dark magic. They dwell in the scarier side of magic-not evil-but the darker stuff. They are nowhere being bokor's (very evil voodoo practitioners), but they do practice blood magic. You see, with voodoo magic, there are heavy ties to the world of the dead. Once you start opening those doors, a lot of evil can flow in and out. They work with those...well, I guess you'd call them spirits, but they aren't really. They are the loa. They can be both good and bad. They are more like different kinds of energy, really. Ava works with the "good" loa and the Bright's usually deal with the ones who aren't as friendly. Voodoo can be scary, especially when you witness a possession for the first time. When used in the right hands, however, it isn't evil. Just like all magic, it is how you utilize it.

In voodoo, they practice sympathetic magic. They infuse objects with certain types of energy, which is why those who practice voodoo are excellent with charms and amulets. Ethan uses voodoo dolls to help heal people, although he can use them to inflict pain upon others, if need be. They call those charms gris-gris and they are his specialty. Ava was actually wearing one of Ethan's gris gris necklaces. Her hamsa pendant was infused with magic, given to her after losing her family. Ethan swore it would keep her safe and Ava hasn't taken it off Bright's taught Ava many things, especially about healing. Ava wasn't the best with healing people yet, but she was excellent with plants. Not this plant, however.

"_Speaking of purchases, how is the apartment coming along?_" Ethan asked. Ava glanced around her one bedroom apartment. It wasn't that bad, actually. Just lacked a lot of life. She wasn't going to go crazy, however. Ava wasn't too sure how long she'd actually be staying in Beacon Hills for.

"Eh, pretty plain so far. I have a mattress, a little TV, a juicer, a buddha statue...oh, and non organic bananas on the counter. I'm about to go hunt for some good coffee though, maybe pick up a few caffeine supplies..."

_"And by a few, you mean probably a six hundred dollar espresso machine and the worlds biggest coffee pot? Not to mention enough tea to drown a man? I know how you addicts work." _ Again, Ava wasn't materialistic, but she was an addict. Her only vice in life was caffeine. It could be so much worse! She totally justified that kind of spending-she didn't need caffeine, caffeine needed her. They had been in a serious relationship for as long as Ava could remember.

"I fully admit that I have a problem. You're just bitter that I'm not going to be making your morning coffee for a while. Have fun with your weak, pathetic cup of java. I'll be sitting on my balcony, drinking fine Italian espresso in my top hat and monocle, mocking your misery", Ava teased.

"Yeah, yeah. Just come back soon, okay? _Mwen sonje ou, sove_, okay?" Ethan may have been the biggest ball buster in all of man kind, but he was still a sweetheart. He was like the big brother Ava never had.

"I miss you more and I can't guarantee my safety, but I'll try to stay out of trouble." After hanging up with Ethan, an unnerving silence filled her apartment. She'd really never felt so lonely. Even after everything that happened to her, Ava had never gone off by herself. She'd always had people helping her, guiding her in the right direction. This time, she would have to face whatever demons waited for her alone. It was terrifying, but oddly exhilarating. Ava felt the need to prove herself, especially because she last of her line. She wouldn't let her families magic just fade away. She was a Duvall. A proud, stubborn Duvall, who was going to make the best out of a shitty situation.

Ava pulled herself out of her little pity party and cleaned up. More pressing matters were to be taken care of, like finding some decent coffee in Beacon Hills.

Ava did manage to find a little hole in the wall coffee shop. It was a tiny, hidden gem in seemingly boring Beacon Hills. She purchased two bags of coffee, two bags of espresso, and enough masala chai tea to last her a month. Her next stop was to find an actual coffee machine for her hoard, but Ava decided to sit down with a latte, a vegan cupcake, and proceeded to people watch for a bit. The cafe was quiet and only a handful of people were scattered about, talking quietly amongst each other. She heard a few giggles and she stared longingly at them. Oh, how it must feel to be normal. To be able to sit in a coffee shop and not have to worry about saving mankind. Ava missed the days when she had a family, a handful of close friends, and everything was blissful. Life had gotten so much more complicated in only a matter of years.

And because Ava was pretty much in Narnia right now, she didn't hear someone ask her a question. Snapping out of her dream world, she looked up and saw the same stunning Asian girl that had made Ava her coffee. Sans uniform, she was wearing an Optimus Prime t-shirt and had a earthy green messenger bag slung over one shoulder. "Do you mind if I sit here with you?" She enquired, with a polite smile. She seemed a little nervous, but steady.

"Of course, yeah, no problem", Ava agreed, excited and shocked that someone actually approached her for once. Maybe she _didn't _wreak of super secretive and mega awkward.

The girl sat down with a large cup of coffee (large enough to even rival Ava's) and continued to smile. "My name is Kira. I'm on lunch break, so I figured I'd come introduce myself. You're totally new, I can tell. I was new a few months ago, so I know what it's like to not know what the heck is going on in Beacon Hills. Especially in a town like this, it's like everybody knows each other and I mean everyyyyybody. It was so hard to make friends at first. Actually, it is still hard to make friends. I have like one friend, who's bringing me food in a few minutes. Actually, I don't even know if I can count him as a friend. He's one of those, you know...things." Kira paused and took a deep breath. "Okay, this is probably the reason why I don't have any friends yet. My ability to ramble about anything and everything is mind boggling. I'm so sorry, I hope I didn't scare you with my crazy."

Ava absolutely adored her already. Anybody who openly admitted to being awkward was a-okay in her book. "Yes, you are right. I am completely new and completely terrified of Beacon Hills already. Not because of you, but because everyone seems freakishly normal." Kira let out a snort. "As someone who is socially awkward to begin with, I'm glad I found someone who can understand my rambles, too. We need to find our own kind and stick together. We will reject anyone who has any kind of social skills, charm, or charisma. Our group will have weekly meetings, where no one makes any eye contact, but we all consume large quantities of chocolate, and watch Netflix together. Sound good?" The two girls burst into giggles. Maybe being herself wouldn't be too hard of a challenge.

After some more introductions, Ava and Kira began to exchange light facts about each other. She was surprised at how easy conversation flowed. Ava learned that Kira was a student at Beacon Hills, that she was kind of dating a boy named Scott, her favorite movie was the Silence of the Lambs (which was one of Ava's, as well) and that Kira's parents could cook Ava a delicious, vegetarian dinner if she ever wanted to come over. She liked Kira, because she was able to get subtle hints and seemed like a genuinely kind person. Kira could tell that Ava didn't really want to dig into her family or why she moved, so she didn't pry. Kira's aura was a golden yellow, indicating that she was bright and caring person, but also strong minded and incredibly brave. She also had hints of pink, which indicated that she was in either in love or falling in love. Ava already felt comforted by her presence.

"I'm so glad to find someone who consumes as much coffee as I do. I can't imagine the damage I'd do working at a coffee shop-are you hiring?" Ava was only joking, but Kira's face lit up.

"Yes, yes, and yes. Seriously, the last girl just quit, because she realized she actually had to clean. It's awful. I have to train all of these people, they never get any drinks down, and when you finally think that they might kind of be able to make something edible, they end up quitting on you. We are in desperate need of help, if you are serious." Ava was in heaven. When her family died, Ava inherited larger sums of money. If she wanted to, she could easily never have a job again and live off said cash. However, she liked to have an income of her own. She couldn't stand not working and liked to keep busy. She knew she'd have her hands full with figuring out Beacon Hills mysteries, but what better way to get to know the town than to supply them with their daily coffee and sugar intake. Plus, Kira had mentioned something about an employee discount...not that it had anything to do with Ava's filling out of an application...it was just an added bonus. A very delicious, added bonus.

She was just about to ask Kira a question about the forum, when the sound of an engine coming to a halt filled her ears. She noticed Kira sat up instantly and began to smooth down her already perfect hair. This must be the mysterious Scott, Kira's somewhat, kind of, not really boyfriend. He entered the cafe with a lopsided smile and walked towards the two girls.

"Me' lady...lunch, as promised." He handed Kira over a brown bag and when she peaked inside, she let out a giggle. "You are really buying into the whole Asian stereotype", she teased, while pulling out sushi. "I love, love, love sushi. Thank you, thank you, thank you...but I bet you don't want to try any." The two exchanged all knowing look and smiles.

Kira turned to Ava. "Scott had a wasabi incident not too long ago..."

"I thought it was guacamole!" He exclaimed, while grabbing at his hair. "It was so not guacamole. It was the anti guacamole. Guacamole's evil brother, wasabimole." Ava laughed and took in Scott's features. He was an incredibly handsome, tan, and built guy, but had a goofy charm to him. She didn't get the vibe that he was someone who let their looks go to their head.

"Scott, this is Ava, Ava, this is Scott. Ava is new and we are already soul mates, just a warning." After another round of introductions, Scott made himself comfortable with the girls. While Kira was charming, but more on the quiet side, Scott was ridiculously social, loud, and had no problems talking about anything and everything. He had Ava cracking up more than once. "I can't wait for you to meet everyone, Ava. I promise Beacon Hills High isn't as bad as some people say", he remarked, but Kira and Scott shared a quick look. Oh, Ava knew all too well about the horrors that had taken place in that high school and she guessed that they did too.

Teacher deaths, wolves, killings-it sounded like the perfect school to attend. Ava wondered why anyone let their children go there. She dreaded going back to high school, because the first time was god awful enough, but Grandma Bright insisted. When Ava first started having her visions, she'd get flashes of certain places where Stiles went. After a few months, some facts started to fall into place. She knew that Stiles went to Beacon Hills High and that was pretty much the only thing she had to go on. After much debate and lots of protest from Ava, they decided that she would get some fake papers and enroll in high school again. Hopefully not for that long, but it was her best way to keep an eye on Stiles. She doubted finding him would be that easy, though. Keeping track of him would be even harder. Three weeks until classes started again and Ava already wanted to throw up everywhere, but she doubted that would make a good impression.

"It was awesome meeting you, Ava. I can't wait to become emotionally and physically attached to you, but for now, I have to get back to trying to control the minions." Ava turned her head and saw a lazy looking, young girl chewing gum behind the counter. She was texting on her cellphone, completely ignoring customers on line. Ava and Kira both let out simultaneous groans. It must have been a generation thing. They exchanged numbers, a hug, and gave their parting lines. Scott also got up, gave Kira a kiss on the cheek, and bowed to Ava. "Twas' lovely meeting you, me' lady, but for now, I have to go meet Stiles. He's going to love you, I can't wait for you to meet him."

Ava almost jumped out of her skin. "Did you just say Stiles?!" She exclaimed, while shooting Scott a frantic look. She instantly regretted the outburst. She was supposed to be super slick, Nancy Drew...not flailing, frantic, Fredericka.

"Yeah...Stiles...he's my best friend. He's a little dorky, but lovable". Scott and Kira both looked at Ava, as if she might implode at any second.

"That's just...that's just an odd name! I'm sorry, too much caffeine and I turn into a spazz. Great meeting all of you, very great indeed. Well, I gotta' go! See ya' around!" Ava frantically grabbed her bags and made a mad rush for the door, not before tossing the couple an awkward, slightly demented smile.

Maybe finding Stiles wouldn't _too _difficult after all.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been two and a half weeks since Ava arrived at Beacon Hills and she had somehow landed a job, made some new friends, resurrected dead plants, and found a gorgeous, secluded spot in the woods to practice her magic. She almost felt normal, strolling up and down the aisles of Target, tossing candy, make up, and other girly essentials into her cart. It had been so long since Ava had a girlfriend-she honestly didn't know what a "girls night" entailed. Kira felt the same way, though and the two entertained themselves by googling what "normal" teenage girls did. Apparently eating Nutella is a trend and you have to take pictures of yourself doing it. Not just with the Nutella, but you have to take a picture of yourself doing everything and anything. Ava wasn't one to adventure on the internet too often, so things like Tumblr and Pinterest were mind boggling. They concluded that girls night involved a lot of eating and manicuring, so Ava was on a quest to have the most obnoxious girls night ever. She had a strange array of nail polishes, ranging from soft neutrals to ridiculous neons. Also in her cart, were ingredients to make homemade face masks, sugar scrubs, and enough candy and chocolate to drown yourself with. She knew she was going overboard, but her giddiness was overpowering. As if on quo, Ava received a text from Kira.

_Pillows are assembled for operation cliche' girls night. Also, mom wants to know how you feel about soba noodles? You should see the kitchen, it's like we are having the Pope over for dinner. _

Ava snorted, while sending her reply.

_I'll have to work on my giggles for said pillow fight. I love soba noodles. Seriously, I'll eat anything. I can't thank you guys enough for inviting me over and catering to my annoying eating habits. I'm just finishing up shopping, see you soon. _

Once Kira's parents discovered that she had made a friend that wasn't a boy, they were ecstatic. It's not that they didn't like Scott-they just weren't too thrilled that Kira was spending all of her free time with a male. They insisted that Kira bring Ava over for dinner. Once they found out Ava was a vegetarian, she received non stop texts over what she would or wouldn't eat. Apparently they were planning a ridiculous, Japanese feast. Ava missed the company of others at meal time and she was incredibly grateful to not eat alone...again. Eating spaghetti squash with raw marinara was kind of boring, when you had no one to enjoy it with. Not that anyone usually enjoyed what Ava cooked (those haters).

Ava was honestly amazed at how quickly she took to Kira. The two had only known each other for a short time, but it felt like they had been friends for years. There was never any awkward tension between the two and the conversation flowed easily. Ava felt laid back around Kira and didn't worry about trying to be "normal." Kira was just as quirky as she was and never pried into any grey areas. Finally, someone besides Ethan could stomach Ava's awkward sense of humor. She really was enjoying herself, so far. She felt care free, not a worry in the world...

But she did have worries and soon or later, Ava had to snap out of her little dream world and face reality. She could giggle over photos of cats and manicure her toe nails, but that wasn't the reason to why she was at Beacon Hills. She wasn't repeating high school for the fun of it. This wasn't some random trip to reclaim her lost youth. There weren't enough organic face masks to distract her from that nagging voice in the back of her head that said, _"get with the program."_ Ava was here to complete her mission and the more she avoided it, the more guilty she felt. A wave of anxiety flooded Ava, as she remember her earlier phone conversation with Grandma Bright. "_You still haven't found the boy? Have you even bothered to go looking for him? Ou sont être parese et estipid! He's not just going to appear out of nowhere!" _

As always, Grandma Bright had a point, but it wasn't that Ava was lazy. She knew she had to go looking for Stiles, but she was just putting it off. Not out of laziness, but out of fear. Ava was nervous to get the ball rolling-it wasn't a relaxing feeling knowing that you have to save someones life. It was much easier to avoid the situation, but deep down, Ava knew that she had to suck it up and put on her big girl panties, eventually. She couldn't just hope to bump into Stiles, randomly. And when she did, what was she supposed to say? He wasn't magically going to be searching through the DVD's at Target...

Ava let out a _slightly_ inappropriate swear word, as she ducked behind a display of CD's. The whole trying to play it cool thing really wasn't working, as of late. It was as if the universe was testing her, putting him right in her direct vision. Grandma Bright would call it fate, but Ava called it punishment. There he was, the mysterious Stiles, in the flesh. She definitely preferred the whole avoidance thing, over the confrontation thing. What was she going to say to him? What if she accidentally sprayed spit all over his face, as she fumbled with her words? What if he thought she was a compete sociopath? What if he was allergic to blondes?

Ava chewed on her nails, trying to figure out her next move. _I'll just prepare myself for next time. I can't talk to him without planning out my words first. I'll just go back to the apartment and pretend that I never saw..._

If she was trying to be subtle, Ava failed...miserably. As she went to go turn her cart around and run straight for the check out counter, she managed to knock over a whole display of CD's. Ava let out a groan and rolled her eyes. Now the universe was _really_ tempting her. Grandma Bright would say_ this_ was her punishment from the loa, for trying to take the easy way out. Ava quickly scrambled to the ground, trying to pick up as many CD's as her arms could hold. She refused to look up, hoping to the goddess that maybe Stiles didn't hear the loud crash. And maybe if he did hear, he was one of those people that didn't care if somebody made a mess on the floor. Like those annoying people who knock clothes off the rack at department stores and don't care to pick them up. Or the people that see someone slip and they just cackle, instead of helping them up. But no, of course Stiles had to be a gentleman.

"Here, let me help you", he offered, crouching down next to Ava's level. He began to help her put the CD's back, but Ava kept her eyes glued to the floor. Now she was just being creepy. With a sigh, she forced herself to look up at Stiles and gave him a pained smile. That barely there smile almost turned into a grimace, when she realized how breathtakingly gorgeous he was up close and personal. He wasn't your average kind of handsome, but his bone structure and rich brown eyes were enough to make any woman swoon. Ava was suddenly conscious of her messy blonde locks, that were thrown haphazardly into a clip and that fact that her finger nails were encrusted with potting soil. She probably smelled like a mixture of dirt and cara cara oranges, too.

"Thank you, I'm such a klutz. I was just reaching for...", Ava plucked a random CD out of the pile, "Boy George's Greatest Hits and I totally hit my cart into the display. Gotta' love Boy George." _Really, Ava? _

Despite her nervous rambling, Stiles let out a laugh. "I'd get excited if I was reaching for his greatest hits, too. Who doesn't love Boy George? He's the most fashionable musician ever. I was actually going to try to rock the bald head and heavy make up look for a while, but I don't think the ladies would be able to handle it. It's hard enough keeping them at bay, as is."

Ava let out a very unattractive snort, but flashed him a very genuine smile this time. Holding out her hand, she introduced herself. "It's so nice to meet a fellow Boy George fan. My name is Ava".

"Ahh, so you're the mysterious Ava that Scott keeps telling me I need to meet. I think his exact words were, 'you two are going to fall madly in love with each other' or something like that. I'm sure you know by now, but he really doesn't hold anything back. It's lovely finally meeting you, I'm Stiles."

As soon as the two shook hands, Ava's vision was flooded with glimpses into Stiles mind. She saw many sleepless nights, note books filled with agonizing words, Kitsune, bone chilling creatures, werewolves, funerals, and so many other awful things that flashed within milliseconds of each other. What felt like hours to Ava, must have been only seconds in real time. She pulled away as calmly as possible, trying to keep her cool. Ava was a powerful witch, but she'd never been able to dive so deeply inside someone's head before-especially when she wasn't intentionally trying to get in.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart, which was beating rapidly in her chest. She felt slightly dizzy and had to lean against her cart for support. Despite all of the glimpses into his head, nothing was as painful as the feeling of complete and utter guilt that weighed the poor boy down. Ava could still feel it's heaviness, clinging to her skin like wet clothes. When she first looked at Stiles, she didn't notice the dark bags that shadowed his beautiful brown eyes or the way his cheeks were sunken in just a little more than they should have been. This was a man who did not sleep very often and probably didn't each much, either.

Although there was definitely a dark storm brewing inside of Stiles, there was no denying the connection she felt while holding his hand. If Ava had any doubts about her mission to Beacon Hills, they washed away in that instant. There was no question that this was her guy and he was definitely in need of some witchy guidance. Even though Ava had no idea what role she was going to play, she was determined help him. Her heart ached for Stiles and she had to resist the urge to pull him into a warm, fuzzy embrace.

An odd expression crossed Stiles features, as she pulled away. And for a brief moment, Ava thought that he had felt her magical intrusion. However, the look passed so quickly, Ava couldn't be sure if it was ever even there. Stiles quickly gave her a warm smile.

"Okay, kind of random, but are you into horror movies?" He asked, with a tilt of his head.

Ava blushed and fiddled with the bangles that adorned her wrists. "Yeah, I guess, yeah. I'm into horror movies. I enjoy horror movies, yes." For a second, Ava was under the impression that she maybe she was going to be asked out on a date, until Stiles led her over to the five dollar movie bin.

"Alright, since you have such wonderful taste in music, I need a professional opinion on what to get. I've been torn between Nightmare on Elm Street, Sleepaway Camp, or Witchboard, for the past fifteen minutes. I'm in the mood for a classic, but I'm only committing to two, because I'll probably cave and blow all of my money on the Girl Scout cookies outside. Seriously, I swear, those little girls are _evil_." Stiles held up all three, while giving them a little wave. "Such a hard life I live, I know."

Ava was pretty much in love. Despite his inner turmoil, Stiles did a great job of hiding it. He had Ava cracking up, which was pretty rare. Once she stopped laughing, she put on the most serious face she could muster. "Good choices, my friend. You see, Nightmare on Elm Street is a must. Freddy is the most terrifying villain ever. Think about it. Unlike every other villain, he messes with you psychologically and physically. Like, you can avoid all of the other killers-board up the windows, lock the doors, stay out of showers, but Freddy? There's no stopping Freddy. You know you will have to fall asleep eventually and when you do, he will get you. It's absolute torture. Plus, you can't argue with a movie that has Johnny Depp getting torn apart in it. Now, you have some other options here. Sleepaway Camp is the perfect, cult, B movie. Get it, if you are looking for a good laugh. However, if you want to be genuinely frightened, get Witchboard. It's kind of lame and the effects are just awful, but it's given me nightmares before-no shame. However, I haven't seen it in ages, so it might not be as scary as I remember. I think it just wigged me out, because I was going through a palm reading and Ouija board phase. Too bad there isn't a movie about Girl Scouts. I feel like that would definitely give me nightmares. Satan cookies, for sure." Ava glanced up at Stiles, hoping he didn't mind her ridiculous rambles.

"Sorry, I am really passionate about certain things", she apologized.

Stiles stared at Ava for a good solid minute, without saying a word. The absence of sound was unbearable to nervous, Ava. He finally broke the silence by whispering, "I think we are soul mates." Ava burst into laughter and Stiles joined it, while putting her recommendations into the cart.

"So, you were going through a palm reading phase, huh? You think you could tell me a little about my destiny, eh? It's been a little unclear lately." Stiles said it with a joking smile, but Ava could sense the underlying serious tone. Maybe he didn't believe in palm reading, but he wasn't kidding about the whole destiny bit.

Ava wiggled her eyebrows and gently took Stiles hand. Now that she was prepared for it, Ava was able to block out any unwanted images or feelings. "Well, I'm a little rusty, but I'll see what I can remember. Mystic Ava, at your service." She traced his long fingers and felt the smoothness of his palm, beneath her fingertips. His hands were soft in places, but calloused in others. He wasn't a man who was afraid of getting his hands dirty. She could feel Stiles looking at her, but Ava kept her eyes on his palms. Palm reading was simple, but it felt strangely intimate all of a sudden.

Ava splayed his fingers. "Well, you have big hands with long, slender fingers. This means you are very detail oriented and are able to see things that others can't. You think outside the box and you are a person who is a good problem solver. That's a rare ability, so cherish it. You also have a large spaces between each fingers, which means you are a loyal person. You put your friends and family first, I assume. Very selfless." Ava could hear herself speaking, but it was her magic was doing the talking for her. Tarot readings and palm readings could be really hokey, especially if done by someone who didn't know what they were doing. It was a fun thing to do at sleepovers, but to a trained witch, it could be a powerful form of divination. She was in a trance, as she continued.

"You aren't a man who will have many lovers in life and you aren't someone who likes to just have flings. But the relationships you have will be filled with passion. Your heart line is strong, but it is your Achilles heel. You feel so much and you care so much, that it is almost a burden. You can get very emotional, because of it. You care so much about others, but not enough about yourself. You take on everyone else's problems, but will let your own fester and blister, until you can't possibly take it anymore. You can't save everyone, you know. But you continue to try. Your life long is long, but filled with many obstacles. You joked about it before, but you really do have a hard life." Ava stopped talking and let out a nervous giggle. She went to go pull away, but Stiles gently cupped his hands over hers. There was that same peculiar look in his eyes, that Ava was almost sure she imagined before. He let her hands fall, but Ava could still feel his warmth lingering on her skin. She felt electrified and she couldn't tell if it was the after effect of the magic she just used or the odd connection the two strangers held.

"I haven't done that since the fourth grade. Silly stuff, I know. It seems so stupid now. I was the cool kid at sleepovers, though." Ava gave a tentative smile, trying to get a feel as to if Stiles was totally creeped out or not.

Stiles opened his mouth, closed it, and then went to go open again. Whatever he was going to say, died out on his tongue. He had a serious look on his face, but he let it fall. "Yeah, yeah. Fun stuff though. That was pretty good. You could totally make some extra cash doing that, Mystic Ava. I'm impressed."

Ava gave a little bow. "That will be twenty five dollars, thank you."

"Tell me, when you were reading my palm, were you able to foresee me giving you my number?" Stiles asked, with a dazzling smile.

"I bet you were just dying to use that line on me, the whole time."

"Yes...but did it work?"

"Of course."


End file.
